Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)

Two members of the U.S. Marine Corps. prepare to drape an American flag over a transport case that contains potential U.S. service member remains during the 171st Repatriation Ceremony at the Gia Lam Airfield, Hanoi, Vietnam, on Dec. 13, 2025.

United States Holds 171st Repatriation Ceremony in Vietnam

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency received possible remains of a U.S. service member from the Vietnam War presented by the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) during a repatriation Ceremony at the Gia Lam Airfield, Dec. 13, 2025.

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Kevin Dalton, Archaeologist and Terrestrial Development Lead with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine in support of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, left, and Bryan Harrell, a member of SEARCH, a DPAA partner organization, discuss the Duck Pond mission during DPAA’s fourth annual Partnership Symposium at Cranfield University, Sept. 24, 2025.

DPAA hosts Partnership Symposium to enhance accounting efforts

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency hosted its fourth annual Partnership Symposium at Cranfield University from Sept. 24 – 25, 2025. The event advanced international collaboration in the effort to account for U.S. personnel still missing from past conflicts. The symposium, led by DPAA’s Partnerships and Innovation Directorate, brought together more than 35 partners who support the accounting mission by assisting DPAA with field archaeology, research, and innovation.

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U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jason Kim, Detachment 2 Commander, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, observes operations during an official visit to a recovery site in Vietnam, August 15, 2025.

Introducing the DPAA Detachment 2 Commander

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jason Kim has officially assumed command of Detachment 2, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in Hanoi, from Lt. Col. Travis Walter on July 25, 2025, marking a new chapter in the ongoing mission to recover and identify American service members missing from the Vietnam War.

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Accounting Mission Continued Despite Lapse of Appropriations Thanks to Vietnam

Starting Oct. 30, 2025, two Vietnamese unilateral recovery teams began efforts at two complex recovery sites in Vietnam to look for missing American personnel from the Vietnam War. These difficult sites, characterized by karst mountains, steep hills and dense jungle, highlight the significant contributions of Vietnamese counterparts. The teams consist of 11 host nation officials and more than 60 local workers. This cooperation ensured the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's mission to provide the fullest possible accounting of missing personnel continued during the recent lapse in appropriations. (Courtesy Photo by Sr. Col. Nguyen Van Hai)

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Dr. Rebecca Taylor, a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency forensic anthropologist supervisor, takes a lab proficiency test at the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Oct. 30, 2025.

DPAA Laboratories completes annual proficiency testing

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has completed annual lab proficiency testing on Oct. 31, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to the highest standards of scientific excellence in its mission to account for America’s missing personnel.

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Dr. Kyle McCormick, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency anthropologist, studies a soil sample in an excavation unit for a DPAA recovery mission Guadalcanal Province, Solomon Islands, Nov. 18, 2016.

From Computer Science Student to DPAA Forensic Anthropologist

At the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, some of the sharpest minds in the U.S. dedicate their skills to the recovery of missing U.S. personnel, and to provide the fullest possible accounting to their families and the Nation. Scientists and anthropologists who undertake this mission are valued beyond measure for not only their work, but their dedication to this mission. Dr. Kyle McCormick, DPAA forensic anthropologist and scientific recovery expert, is one such scientist, who was one of the first GS-civilian hires for DPAA during its transition from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command.

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DPAA Celebrates Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary with Focus on Commitment to the Fallen

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency commemorated the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony at the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence, Nov. 4.

DPAA Concludes Record-Setting 2025 Fiscal Year

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency recovery team members pose for a group photo at the end of a recovery mission in Thailand, March 29, 2025. Recovery team members assisted the assigned forensic anthropologist on site with excavation, screening, and other tasks as deemed necessary in the process of recovering possible material evidence and remains. This mission is part of DPAA’s initiative to recovering missing and accounted for personnel from a World War II. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Anthony Todd)

United States Holds 171st Repatriation Ceremony in Vietnam

DPAA hosts Partnership Symposium to enhance accounting efforts

Introducing the DPAA Detachment 2 Commander

Accounting Mission Continued Despite Lapse of Appropriations Thanks to Vietnam

DPAA Laboratories completes annual proficiency testing

From Computer Science Student to DPAA Forensic Anthropologist

DPAA Celebrates Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary with Focus on Commitment to the Fallen

DPAA Concludes Record-Setting 2025 Fiscal Year

STORIES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Airman Accounted For From Vietnam War (Calfee, J.) The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. James H. Calfee, 36, of Boling, Texas, who was killed during the Vietnam Story

United States Holds 171st Repatriation Ceremony in Vietnam The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency received possible remains of a U.S. service member from the Vietnam War presented by the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) during a repatriation Ceremony at the Gia Lam Airfield, Dec. 13, 2025. At the ceremony, the 171st repatriation ceremony held by the two countries, VNOSMP representatives handed over remains to the DPAA thought to be associated with a U.S. Air Force F-105 crash site in Yen Bai Province. Story

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Farrell, W.) The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Army Pfc. William T. Farrell, 19, of Spangler, Pennsylvania, who was killed during the Korean Story

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Stewart, O.) The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Army Cpl. Orestus M. Stewart, 20, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Nov. 26, Story

Airman Accounted For From World War II (Ginzl, J.) The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Cpl. John J. Ginzl, 27, of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, killed during World War II, Story

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DPAA IN THE DOD NEWS

Hegseth Honors Nation's POW/MIAs Secretary of War Pete Hegseth paid tribute to the U.S. military's prisoners of war and personnel missing in action during a ceremony commemorating National POW/MIA Recognition Day on the Pentagon. Story

Agency Provides Updates to Families of Missing in Action Personnel During Annual Briefing More than 400 family members of service members who never returned home from the Korean War or who were lost during the Cold War met with representatives from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency during the agency's annual update to families of missing personnel. Story

Defense Secretary Announces 100th Service Member Identified From Remains Turned Over by North Korea The 100th service member from a group of remains handed over by North Korea seven years ago has been successfully identified, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced from Hawaii. Story

Department Tells Gold Star Families: We'll Find Loved Ones, Bring Them Home Some 380 Gold Star families attended a family member update to learn how the agency is proceeding in efforts to repatriate the remains of service members who never returned home from the Vietnam War, the Korean War or World War II. Story

Returning heroes home: How DISA supports DPAA’s mission to bring the missing back to their families Every U.S. Warfighter who answers the nation’s call carries a solemn promise: they will never be Story

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U.S. Servicemembers and Civilians Missing from Past Conflicts

STORIES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

DPAA IN THE DOD NEWS

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